BRICS Summit 2026: Global leaders and top officials arrive in Delhi ahead of key meet

India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit under its 2026 chairship, guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability," on September 12th and 13th. 

New Delhi is witnessing a steady arrival of global leaders, ministers and senior officials as India prepares to host the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12 and 13. With the summit set to bring together representatives from major emerging economies and partner countries, the national capital has been gearing up for two days of high-level discussions on global economic, geopolitical and development-related issues.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Uganda Vice President Jessica Alupo arrived in New Delhi on Friday ahead of the summit.

They were received by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary. South Africa is a full member of BRICS, while Uganda is among the group’s 10 partner countries.

Several other senior representatives have also reached the capital. Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa P Lazaro arrived in New Delhi on Friday.

Uruguay Foreign Affairs Minister Mario Lubetkin had also arrived earlier, adding to the growing presence of BRICS members, partner countries and invited participants.

Russia’s delegation is being led by President Vladimir Putin, who arrived in New Delhi in the early hours of Friday. He was welcomed at the airport by Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov also arrived in the capital to attend the summit.

Putin’s visit is expected to add particular significance to India’s engagement with Russia. The Russian President is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday and address the BRICS Business Forum.

Discussions are expected to cover strategic trade resilience, cross-border payment mechanisms, energy security and geopolitical developments, including conflicts in Eastern Europe and West Asia.

Putin is also scheduled to visit the INNOPROM exhibition along with Modi. The exhibition has been organised by the industry and trade ministries of Russia and India. According to the Kremlin, Putin’s visit comes as BRICS marks its 20th anniversary.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira arrived in New Delhi on Thursday to represent Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who remains in Brazil for his election campaign.

Nigeria’s participation is also significant as the country was formally admitted as a BRICS partner during Brazil’s chairship in 2025. As Africa’s most populous country and one of its major economies, Nigeria is expected to contribute to the grouping’s broader focus on South-South cooperation.

The summit will also see the participation of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank President Zou Jiayi, who arrived in New Delhi on Friday. The Beijing-based multilateral development bank focuses on infrastructure financing, with sustainable development forming a key part of its mission.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Zou’s visit would help strengthen partnerships aimed at advancing sustainable development and expanding opportunities for emerging economies.

India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit under its 2026 chairship, guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”. The focus is on development, sustainability and innovation, with a human-centric approach running across India’s priorities.

BRICS has grown into an important platform for cooperation among major emerging economies and for advancing the interests of the Global South in international institutions. Its agenda spans development, finance, technology, trade and people-to-people exchanges.

The grouping currently has 11 member countries: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE. Together, these countries account for around 49.5 per cent of the world’s population, 40 per cent of global GDP and 26 per cent of global trade.

The New Delhi summit comes at a time of growing global economic fragmentation, technological disruption, geopolitical uncertainty, climate pressures and resource challenges.

India’s expanded BRICS presidency is therefore expected to focus not only on strengthening cooperation among members but also on finding practical areas of common ground despite their differing national interests.

For India, the chairship also marks its fourth time leading the grouping, after previous presidencies in 2012, 2016 and 2021. The 2026 summit seeks to build on that experience while responding to the changing nature of BRICS following its expansion.

As leaders and senior representatives continue to arrive in the capital, attention is now turning to the two-day summit and the outcomes India hopes to achieve from its presidency.

(with agencies input)

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